The present embodiments relate to an x-ray emitter housing.
An x-ray emitter housing is an integral part of an x-ray emitter. In a fully assembled x-ray emitter, an x-ray tube is fixedly (e.g., fixed anode x-ray tube or rotary anode x-ray tube) or rotatably (e.g., rotary piston x-ray tube) arranged in the x-ray emitter housing.
Electrons are thermally generated in the x-ray tube by an electron source (e.g., coiled filament, flat emitter) and are accelerated toward an anode (e.g., fixed anode or rotary anode). When the electrons strike the anode, effective radiation is generated. Approximately 99% of the kinetic energy of the electrons is converted into heat, and only approximately 1% is converted into effective radiation. The generated effective radiation escapes through a radiation outlet window from the vacuum housing of the x-ray tube and then through a radiation outlet window from the x-ray emitter housing. The heat arising must be effectively discharged during operation of the x-ray tube by a cooling system. A cooling medium (e.g., water, oil) circulates in the x-ray emitter housing. The cooling medium flows around the vacuum housing on an exterior (e.g., the surfaces facing the cooling medium).
The vacuum housing is to be configured for ultra high vacuum, and is therefore welded. The x-ray emitter housing is only to be coolant tight (e.g., oil tight). The components of the emitter housing (e.g., a first housing part and a second housing part) are therefore only screwed to one another. These screwed connections are to exhibit a constantly high tightness even under extreme temperature change loads.
In order to provide the tightness of the x-ray emitter housing, O-rings that are compressed by pressure with the two housing parts to be connected are used. The contact pressure is to be evenly distributed over the entire circumference of the O-ring, so that the connection of the two housing parts connected to one another is constantly tight across the entire surface.
The connection between the first housing part and the second housing part is realized in a known x-ray emitter housing by a plurality of screws arranged and guided radially around the housing. By using a limited number of screws, the contact pressure may only be applied at particular points and is thus not transmitted completely homogeneously onto the O-ring. On account of the radial screw connections, a fixed alignment of the two housing parts with respect to one another is to be provided.
With a longer operating duration and the extreme temperature change loads frequently occurring as a result, with the known x-ray emitter housing, the contact pressure acting on particular points may reduce, thereby impairing the tightness of the x-ray emitter housing.
JP 2002-260534 A describes a rotary anode-x-ray tube. The vacuum housing of the rotary anode-x-ray tube includes a metal housing part and a glass housing part. The rotary anode is arranged in the metal housing part, which has a larger diameter than the glass housing part. A rotor of an electrical drive is arranged within the glass housing part for the rotary anode. A stator of the electrical drive is arranged outside the glass housing part. The two housing parts of the vacuum housing are connected in a vacuum-tight manner to one another by a circumferential sealing ring.
DE 10 2008 029 355 A1 describes an x-ray tube with a vacuum housing, in which a cathode arrangement and an anode arrangement are arranged. The vacuum housing includes a first housing part and a second housing part. The first housing part and the second housing part are each configured as a half shell. The cathode arrangement and the anode arrangement are mounted, for example, in the first housing part and are electrically conductively connected to corresponding high voltage connections. After assembling all the components to be introduced into the vacuum housing, the second housing part is attached to the first housing part, and both housing parts are connected to one another in a vacuum-tight manner by a circumferential weld seam.
DE 42 07 174 A1 discloses an x-ray emitter with an emitter housing. An x-ray tube that includes a vacuum housing is arranged in the emitter housing. The x-ray emitter also includes a fastening apparatus for fastening the x-ray emitter to a support (e.g., the x-ray emitter support of an x-ray diagnostics facility). The fastening apparatus is attached to the vacuum housing of the x-ray tube and guided outwards through the emitter housing.